Her Own Path
by BlueMoonFan
Summary: Sometimes you have to make your own way in the world. Even if it's not something those you love agree with. Written for Castle Fan Fic Monday.


_**Prompt given to me by my sister. Castle and Beckett's teen daughter loves singing and performing for others, but her parents disapprove and want her to stay out of the spotlight, but she's determined to make her own way in the world.**_

_**I know, Castle probably wouldn't stand in his daughter's way, but lets just say for the sake of argument that he is hesitant. Whether it's because of crazed fans or fear for his daughters safety, he wants her to stay out of the limelight.**_

Sonya knew that she was in for trouble when she saw her parents sitting in the front row of the auditorium. They weren't supposed to be here on this night. How was she to know that her drama teacher would ask her father to be a special guest? Leave it to her to have a famous father that didn't want her daughter to follow in his footsteps.

She'd always thought that her parents were fair about letting her and her brothers do what they wanted. Her older brothers were both in college. Peter was a senior and studying bioengineering. His twin brother Andrew was also a senior and majoring in physics. Michael was a freshman studying pre-law. College was fine for her brother, but it wasn't something that she wanted. She wanted to be like her Grandmother and perform in front of a crowd. She loved hearing the applause that came after she sang. And she was good. Really good. At least that's what her choir teacher said.

Her parents thought that she was wasting her time. That she needed something to secure her future. She was good in school and should use her talents for something other than singing. Why couldn't her parents see that singing was her future?

Even her older sister could see that she was good. In fact, Alexis had encouraged her to sign up for the talent contest. Alexis had even helped her pick out a song and drove her to her rehearsals. She'd covered for her when they got home late one night. Telling their parents that she had taken Sonya out for dinner and they had lost track of time. When she asked Alexis about it, her big sister had simply shrugged and told her, "They aren't right all the time. You need to do what makes you happy Sonya. Mom and dad are just going to have to realize that..."

Sonya had been nervous for weeks afterwards. Worried that her parents would find out about the secret rehearsals.

Then, one day, Alexis brought her a guitar and Sonya had asked, "What's this?"

Alexis smiled, "I know you can play. I heard you when I came over the other night. Did you know that mom plays?"

Sonya's eyes grew wide when she heard that. Then she asked, "Are you kidding me? Mom plays the guitar and she..." She felt her throat tighten up and she wondered if she was going to start crying in front of her sister. She felt like her mom had betrayed her. Telling her that she shouldn't waste her time on learning to play an instrument. That, in the end it wouldn't make sense. So, she'd taken lessons in secret. Paying for it with her birthday money and the money she earned for babysitting.

Sonya had wanted to confront her mother about her guitar playing, but Alexis had convinced her to keep it to herself. It had been difficult, but she'd managed to keep it to herself.

She was regretting keeping everything from her parents when she was standing on the stage waiting for the curtain to come up. She knew that Alexis was sitting with her parents and that her husband and children were there, but she was suddenly overcome with a serious case of nerves. To the point of wanting to get sick. She'd sung the national anthem at the school's football and basketball games and never felt like this. Maybe she should back out. Tell Ms. Parker that she wasn't feeling good. Maybe she could pretend that she couldn't talk. Surely she couldn't be expected to talk if she couldn't even sing.

Sonya turned to leave the stage when she heard Alexis call out to her. She turned told Alexis, "I can't do this Lex. I didn't know that mom and dad were going to be here." Then she turned to her sister, "You did and you didn't tell me. How could you Lex?"

Alexis held up her hands and told her, "I didn't know until I saw them sitting in the audience. I had to make up a story about why Chris and I are here."

"What did you tell them?"

"Trust me, you don't want to know. I'm not sure that mom believed it."

Sonya groaned and whispered, "That's it. I'm not going on. I'm sick. I..."

Alexis shook her head, "Don't! If you quit then they are going to..."

"They aren't going to know. I..."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that...Ummm"

"What?/"

Alexis handed her a program and that's when she saw it. Her name was listed first. She felt the room start spinning and she had to grab onto Alexis to keep from fainting. Then Sonya whispered, "I'm so dead. Can I live with you?"

Alexis laughed, "It's not that bad. Besides, I'm just as much to blame as you are. When they here how good you are they are going to feel better about it and..."

"And kill me. And ground me. And..."

Alexis stopped her sister's ramblings with a hug and looked into her eyes, "They will be fine with it."

"How can you say that Alexis? You didn't see the look in mom's eyes when she caught me singing into my hairbrush one night. I thought she was going to kill me. I..."

Alexis hugged her sister, "Mom and dad will come around Sonya. They might be against it initially, but when they see how happy it makes you, they will come around."

Sonya wanted to believe her sister, but she didn't want to see the look of disapproval on her parents faces. She was honestly torn between doing what she loved and seeking the approval of her parents. It seemed as if she was in a no win situation. She was getting ready to leave when she heard Ms Parker tell her, "Sonya, you're up next. I know that you will be amazing. Just remember to smile and sing as beautifully as you did in practice and you will knock their socks off."

Sonya smiled sadly, "Yeah, about that. I..."

Her teacher turned and asked, "What's wrong? Oh no, don't tell me you have stage fright?"

Sonya shook her head, "It's not that. I just didn't.. I didn't realize. I..."

Alexis took over for her and told the teacher, "She didn't know that our parents were going to be here. It seems as if someone forgot to tell her and she's nervous because they don't see eye to eye with her on her singing."

Ms Parker nodded and told Sonya, "My parents were the same way."

"Really? How did you convince them that this was what you wanted to do?"

"I did pretty my what you did. I got out there and sang my heart out. When they realized how good I was, they knew that they couldn't stand in my way..."

Sonya thought about it and finally nodded.

Meanwhile in the audience, Castle and Beckett are talking to each other in hushed tones. Castle told her, "I can't believe that Sonya would do something like this. She knows that we are against it. How many times have we told her it's dangerous and..."

Kate smiled softly, "She doesn't know about the threats against them when they were young. She's growing up Castle. Maybe we should..."

Castle shook his head. If it was one of their sons wanting to do this he would feel differently, but this was his baby girl. He told her softly, "Do you remember the threats that fan of mine made when she was born?"

Kate sighed. Of course she remembered them. She was the one that had investigated every single one of them. No one had ever been arrested, but every year on her birthday a new card would arrive. Each more foreboding than the one before it. They were the main reason why Castle had stopped writing. Hoping that with him out of the spotlight, it would keep his daughter safe.

Now however, it appeared as if their daughter was taking things into her own hands. Was finding a way to make a name for herself on her own. And as much as that thrilled him, it terrified him to no end. He knew that soon, there would be little he could do to protect her, but as long as she stayed out of the limelight, then maybe she would be safe.

Kate sighed, "We can't protect her forever Castle. She's going to hate us if we keep standing in her way."

"So there's nothing we can do to stop her then?"

Shaking her head, "No. Maybe we can hope that she's a terrible singer..."

"Yeah right. Have you heard her sing in the shower? She's better than you are Kate."

Kate knew that he was trying to be sweet, but her nerves were getting the best of her. She wanted to run behind the curtain and stop her baby girl from going on stage. She finally reached over and took her husband's hand and whispered, "Then we will need to protect her Castle. We can't stop her from following her dreams..."

"Even if it means..."

He couldn't bring himself to speak the words. Couldn't make himself say that even if it made her lose her life. He wanted to keep her safe forever. However, he should have known that it was impossible, she took after his mother afterall.

Kate took his hand and squeezed it softly. She whispered to him gently, "Even if Castle. I just want her to be happy with whatever she decides to do."

Castle closed his eyes and nodded. That was when the lights dimmed and the announcer called out their daughter's name. He took a deep breath and whispered, "I know. Me too..."

And with those words, they held onto each others hands and hoped for the best. Afterall it was all that they had ever wanted for their children...


End file.
